Milwaukee Art Museum Completes Multi-Year Conservation of Robert Gober's Untitled Suitcase Installation

The Milwaukee Art Museum has concluded a two-year conservation project on Robert Gober's 1997 installation 'Untitled,' commonly known as 'the suitcase.' The work features a sculpted pool with water, silicone seaweed, and wax limbs inside a suitcase, creating an aquatic scene. Over 26 years, mechanical components had deteriorated and algae had formed. Conservation involved cleaning the pool, repairing wax elements, replacing 300 seaweed strands, installing new lighting and ventilation systems, and implementing a quieter motor to enhance the sound of water movement. The project was led by the museum's conservation team with specialist Christian Scheidemann and engineer Franklin Berry, supported by funding from Kenneth L. and Alice E. Kayser. The goal was to preserve the immersive experience intended by the artist rather than restore original materials, with Gober approving natural aging effects like color shifts in the silk lining.